We Believe

The History of This I Believe

This I Believeis a national media project that invites Americans from all walks of life to write about and discuss the core beliefs that guide their daily lives.

The series is based on the 1950s radio program This I Believe, hosted by acclaimed journalist Edward R. Murrow. Each day, some 39-million Americans gathered by their radios to hear compelling essays from the likes of Eleanor Roosevelt, Jackie Robinson, Helen Keller and Harry Truman as well as corporate leaders, cab drivers, scientists and secretaries — anyone able to distill into a few minutes the guiding principles by which the lived.Though overwhelmingly a showcase of the personal beliefs, values and philosophies of hundreds of others, there was no mistaking the purpose of this remarkable series--for a world troubled by the conflict between what they were being sold, told, or persuaded to believe and their own deepest held beliefs and values. This remarkable series validated the beliefs of literally tens of millions of listeners. In creating This I Believe, Murrow said the program sought "to point to the common meeting grounds of beliefs, which is the essence of brotherhood and the floor of our civilization." -from The History of This I Believe, The Digital Deli Too

In 2005, National Public Radio (NPR) producers, Dan Gediman and Jay Allison, revived This I Believewith the hope that they could play their part in helping Americans find common ground once again. In a time of hotly contested issues and lively debate, their goal “was not to persuade Americans to agree on the same beliefs, but rather, they hoped to encourage people to begin the much more difficult task of developing respect for beliefs different from their own.” As NPR launched their modern iteration of Murrow’s radio program, Allison pointed out what remains true today: “As in the 1950s, this is a time when belief is dividing the nation and the world. We are not listening well, not understanding each other -- we are simply disagreeing, or worse.” For Murrow and Allison, there was “a responsibility to change that, to cross borders, to encourage some empathy.” (The History of This I Believe). That possibility is what inspires Homestead High School’s “We Believe."

Our Invitation to You

Nearly 70 years after Murrow's original invitation to his listeners to offer up their personal philosophies, and 13 years after Gediman and Allison renewed the radio show, This I Believe remains a steadfast symbol of what defines America - freedom of expression, the freedom to disagree, and the wisdom to acknowledge and celebrate each other's differences - even when our national debates make it difficult to do so.

So here it is, Homestead! Southwest Allen’s version of This I Believe. As Murrow and those who followed him, the coordinators of “We Believe” value the concepts of common ground, compromise, and respect. We believe that Spartans adhere to those same values, so we want to hear from YOU. What do you stand for? What do you stand against? WHAT DO YOU BELIEVE?

We invite you now to become a part of a Homestead community conversation. Offer your voice. Tell us what you believe. Do your part to bridge our differences and “encourage some empathy.”